Chair for mine skips



March 3, 1931. I I. F. KENT 1,795,215

CHAIR FOR MINE SKIPS Filed Oct. 4, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Attorneys I. KENT CHAIR FOR MINE SKIPS March 3, 1931.

Fil ed Oct. 4, lggs Im entor Attorneys 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 eat Patented Mar. 3, 1931 STAT S 5P IRVING :s'. n w, or corrna curt, ONTARIO, CANADA CHAIR non MINE sKIrs Application filed October 4, 132 8 Serial No. 310,338.

The present invention relates to improvements in mining. apparatus and has particular reference to a chair or 'supportapparatus adapted tosupport a skip during'loading op- 5 eration, to prevent sagging and consequent spillage.

An important objectof the invention is the provision of an apparatus for effectively supporting a mine skip during the loading opera strain. I 1

A further object of the invention is the provision of a skip supporting apparatus which may be automatically operated simultaneouswith the operation of the delivery chute door or operated independently thereof.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a skip supporting mechanism which i may be operated to an extended skip engag- 20 ing position or to a; retracted skip clearlng position.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of apparatus of the above character which will be comparatively simple and durable of construction and reliable in operation. i i r Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description progresses.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like 7 reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the same: i

Figure 1 is a vertical fragmentary sectional view through a mine chair illustrating the chair apparatus in retracted position,

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the chair apparatus 1n extended skip engaging position,

, Figure through the skip supporting mechanism showing the apparatus disengaged from the "skip,

Figure A is a similar view showing the chair apparatus extended, Figure is a perspective view of a link member, 7 v

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a skip engaging dog, and i r line 7.-'?' of Figure 3.

3 is an enlarged vertical section absorb the shock imparted to Figure 7 is a transverse section taken on the Referring to the drawings, wherein forthe purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral.

10 generally designates averticallyextending mine shaft in which'is mounted, for verticalsliding' movement, a hoisting bucket or skip 11 vertically operated through the me dium of a cable 12. The invention may likewise be applied to an inclined mine shaft.

At one side of the shaft 10 is'forlneda recess'13 forming a chamber for a pressure member including arms 14: pivoted to the side wall of the shaft at their upper ends and carrying r0llers15 journaled on a shaft 15' at their lower ends. The rollers 15' are adjusted transversely of the shaft to extended or retracted positions by means of transverse con-, trol rods 16 embodying pairs of sections connected by turn buckles 17. The rollers 15 are brought'to a fixed extended position while the chair is being used, and ed positionwhile the skip is hoisting from alower level, and the chair is not in use. 1

At the opposedside of the shaft is provided an inclined delivery chute 18 having the outer delivery end formed flush with the side wall of the shaft. The discharge of material through the chute is controlled by a wheel 20. i As noted in the drawings, the chute 18 is disposed in an underground level, designated at 21, below which is formeda chamber 22 in which is positioned a skip supporting mechanismor chair.

Supported vertically inthe lower portion of the chamber 22', and flush with the'side of the shaft 10, is a vertically elongated hollow casing 23 having the lower portion of the to afixed retractouter wall in open communication with the shaft. This casing is preferably positioned on a yieldable cushion member24, formed of rubber or other suitable material, adapted to the casing. The opposed side walls of the casing 23 are formed with a pairof transversely opposed upper slots 25, arranged at a downward inclination toward the forward wall, and a pair of lower vertically arranged slots 26 adapted to form bearings for a pair of skip engaging dogs 27.

The dogs 27, as shown to advantage in Figure 6, embody transversely elongated metallic members tapered in cross section and diminishing toward the upper edge. At th lower forward edge of the dog is formed an outwardly projecting tapered .lip 23 extent ing the entire length or" the dog. The rear side of the dog is recessed to form an indented pocket 29 intermediate the ends, while the side portions are formed with hearing apertures 30. Projecting longitudinally from the upper edge portion of the dog, at each end, are pivot pins 31 designed to rotatably and slidably engage the respective slots and 26 of the casing 23.

The dogs are selectively adjusted by suitable operating mechanism essentially embodying an operating rod 32 disposed for vertical reciprocating movement through opening in the top of the casing. Attached to the rod 32 and depending vertically therefrom is an enlarged operating rod section 33 formed with a pair of spaced longitudinally directed slots 34. Attached to the lower end of the section 33 and depending vertically therefrom is a guide roc. section 35 projecting through a suitable opening in the bottom of the casing to retain the section 33 in rectilinear position. Projecting rearwardly from the intermediate portion of the section 33 is an eye 36, the purpose of which will be later described.

The operating rods just described are adapted to manipulate a pair of dog adjusting links 37 embodying relatively flat metallic members formed with solid projections 38, at the forward end, and a bifurcated extension 39 at the inner or rear end. The forward solid end 38 is formed with a longitudinal shaft receiving bore 40, while the extremities of the bifurcated extensions are formed witl recesses 41. As shown to advantage in Figures 3 and 5, the inner transverse portion of the bifurcated extension 39 is formed with a V-shaped rib 42 designed to clear the operating rod in suspended position of the link. The link is connected to a dog 27 by means of a transversely directed shaft 43 extending through the bearing recesses 30 of the dog and through the bore of the link. The inner end of each link is connected to a slot as of the rod section 33 by means of a bearing pin 44:.

As indicated in Figure 2, the dogs are mounted to releasably engage a seat bracket 45 mounted on the lower inner edge of the skip 11. This bracket is slotted at its inner edge to form a pair of vertically aligned shoulders l6 and 47 designed to engage at predetermined periods the lips 28 of the dogs.

Enclosing annularly the upper extremity of the rod 32, and extending verticall upward therefrom, 1s a hollow ended operating extension rod 48, the lower portion being mounted for reciprocating movement through a vertical cylinder 49 fixed on the casing 23, while the upper portion extends through a bearing 50 mounted in the floor of the level 21. On the upper extremity of the extension 4.8 is secured an operating handle 51. About the lower portion of the extension 48, and operatively movable in the cylinder 4-9, is an annular piston 52 operable by compressed air or other fluid means, supplied to the cylinder through conduits 53 and As illustrated in Figure 1, the operating extension lS may be connected with the gate operating gear by means of an operating member 55 to operate the chair mechanism simultaneously with the selective open ng operation of the gate. 7

The weight of the lugs 27, links 37, and operating rod sections are counterbalanced in excess of their weight by means of a weight 56 suspended from a cable 57 which is trained over a pulley 58. The pulley 53 is ournaled in brackets formed integral with and extending from the rear wall of the casing and registering with a slot therein. The opposed end or" the cable 57 is attached to the eye 36 ton ed on the slotted rod section 33.

in operation, when the conveyor or skip 11 initially lowered to a loading position below the chute opening, the chair operating rod is slidably actuated to a lowered position simultaneously with the opening of the chute gate 19. As previously indicated, the lowering of the operating rod may be manually etiected independently of the gate by means of the handle 51 or by fluid pressure. The downward movement of the operating extension rod l8 will cause similar movement of the slotted main section 33, whereupon the inner ends of the links 37 will be lowered by gravity so as to laterally extend the lower free ends of the dogs through the openings in the forward wall of the casing 23 to project the lips into the shaft. When the material is discharged into the skip 11, the skip settles downwardly in the shaft due tothe extension of the hoisting cable 12. As the skip settles under the load of the material, the shoulders of the seat bracket 45 engage the upper or lower dog lip 28 and the skipis thus rigidly held in suitable position. During the filling operation, the transverse roller operating rod 16 remains adjusted so that the roller 15 is closely adjacent to the side of the skip to prevent the top of same from tipping transversely across the shaft. The dogs will be rigidly held in skip engaging position inasmuch as the links will be arranged transversely in the casing to obviate'retracted movement of the of the dogs. When the skip filling operation is completed, the operating rod l8 is raised when the chute door closes so that the weight- 56 is free to lift the inner pivoted ends of the links 37 whenever the i skip is hoisted free from the dogs'27, thus swinging the lower ends of the dogs inwardly to a retracted position within the casing as soon as the skip starts upward. The retracted position of the dogsmay also be effected simultaneously with the closing of the chute door, if desired, byvsuitably connecting the As soon as the bracket 45 registers with the dogs, the dogs will be released and will drop by force of gravity to a seat engaging position. Thus, it will be obvious that the mechanism is constructed to'provide an effective chair or skip supporting structure designed to operate with theutmost efficiency under all conditions.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes as tothe shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

1"flaving thus described my invention, I c a1m:

1. The combination with a mine shaft, a

material carrying skip operatively movable therein, a material delivery chute mounted.

t one side of the shaft, a gate adapted to control the discharge ofmaterial from the chute, of mechanism operable to an extended skip supporting position or a retracted releas ing position, and means for operating said mechanism connected with the discharge gate for simultaneous operation thereof.-

2. In a chair for mine skips, a plurality of dogs mounted for swinging and sliding movement, skip engaging lips projecting from the lower ends of the dogs, a vertically movable operating rod, and links having their outer ends pivotally connected to the lower ends of the dogs and their inner ends pivotally and slidably connected to an intermediate portion of the operating rod adapted to swing the dogs to an extended skip supporting position or to a retracted releasing position upon selective movement of the operating rod.

3. The combination with a mine shaft, a hoist skip and a cable for the said hoist skip, of a pair of parallel arms mounted in the shaft and disposed to swing transversely therein, mechanism urging the said arms to an extended positionin the shaft for engage I ment with the side of the hoist skip, and manually adjustable chairs mounted in the op- 5 posed side of the shaft disposed to engage the lower end of the skip at-the side opposed to the engagement of the arms and adjustable to extended skip supporting positions or .retracted skip releasing positions.

4. The combination with a mine shaft, and a hoist skip disposed for operative movement in the shaft, of a pair of arms mounted for swinging movement in one side of'the shaft,

rollers journaled in the freeends of the arms, mechanism disposedto urge the roller carrying ends of the arms to extended positions in the shaft for engagement with the adjacent side portions of the skip in loading position, and a chair mounted in the opposed side of the shaft engageable with the lower end of the skip at the sideopposed to the engagement of the rollers.

5. In mechanism of the character described, the combination with a mine shaft and a hoist skip reversibly movable therein, of a plurality of skip engaging dogs pivotal 'ly'and slidably supported at various levels at one side of the shaft, a. reciprocatory operatingv rod extending at one side of the shaft and adjacent the said dogs, and a plurality of links pivotally connecting the dogs with the operating rod arranged so that the operation of the rod will cause simultaneous operation of the dogs at various levels to extended skip engaging positions or retracted skip releasing positions.

' 6. In mechanism of the character described, the combination with a mine shaft and a. hoist skip reversibly movable therein, of a dog casingmounted at one side of the .shaft, an angular dog mounted in the casing having a supporting pivot extending transversely from the upper end portion, the said pivot being mounted to slide in a guide slot in the casing, a reciprocatory operating rod 7 extending through the casing, and a link piv otally connected with therrod and with the lower portion of the dog respectively wherehand.

IRVING KENT. V 

